Palm Trees

What You Need to Know about Vicodin

Vicodin is an opiate that is used to treat pain and severe coughs. Many different narcotic drugs have become popular for people to abuse in recent years, and Vicodin is certainly no exception.

An important distinction to make, however, is that there is a difference between abuse and addiction. Vicodin is highly addictive, so even those who are following their doctor’s prescription to the letter are likely to develop a dependency on the drug. Once the body has become used to the changes that Vicodin creates, an individual will have to go through the withdrawal process in order to be able to completely stop using Vicodin.

You should be particularly cautious about using Vicodin if you, or any of your immediate family members, have a history of addiction problems. In addition, if you have a history of mental illness you might also be at an increased risk of developing an addiction to Vicodin. These are concerns that you should discuss with your doctor prior to taking even a small dose of this drug.

Abusing any type of narcotic, including Vicodin, can produce frightening results. Problems range from breathing difficulties and severe drowsiness, to coma and death. It is important that you are fully aware of the ramifications of Vicodin abuse before you even consider taking the drug.

If you believe that you have a problem with the use of Vicodin, there are some signs that you can look for that will alert you to a potential overdose. If you begin to suffer from any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical help right away:

     Clammy or cold skin

      Severe drowsiness

      Difficulty breathing

     Decreased heart rate

 

Sources Used

1. AddictionSearch.com. “Vicodin Addiction, Abuse and Treatment.” http://

        www.addictionsearch.com/treatment_articles/article/vicodin-addiction-

        abuse-and-treatment_42.html. Accessed 08 April 2009.

2. MedTV. “Vicodin Abuse.” http://pain.emedtv.com/vicodin/vicodin-abuse.
        html.